1Kevin Shattenkirk

The most impactful player on the market, Kevin Shattenkirk will command a major investment and will not be short on suitors. The Capitals defenseman is only 28, recorded a career-high 56 points this past season, is a true power play quarterback and a right-handed shot, to boot. Cha-ching.

2Alexander Radulov

The soon-to-be 31-year-old Alexander Radulov is the top available free agent forward, a mixture of high-end skill, intense passion and big-game moxie. After a four-year absence from the NHL, he scored 18 goals and 54 points in 76 games with the Canadiens last season, and then was Montreal's best player in its opening-round playoff loss to the Rangers with two goals, five assists and seven points.

3Patrick Marleau

Patrick Marleau is 37, but he scored 27 goals last season and has not missed a game since the 2008-09 season. He has 508 career goals and 1,082 points on his remarkably consistent resume, but the big question is whether he will leave the Sharks, the only team he has played for in his 19-year career.

4Karl Alzner

In another year, Karl Alzner likely would be a bit further down on this list, but come July 1 he wil be the top shutdown defenseman on the free-agent market. He is in the prime of his career at 28, extremely durable and battle-tested after spending the first nine years of his career with the Capitals.

5Justin Williams

Justin Williams is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and regarded as one of the best clutch players in league history. He is coming off a 24-goal season with the Capitals and, even at 35, will command a sizeable contract from a Cup contender this summer.

6Sam Gagner

Sam Gagner resurrected his career with an 18-goal, 50-point season with the Blue Jackets in 2016-17, and now looks to cash in at age 27. He has amassed seven seasons of 40+ points, and is one of the premier playmakers on the market this summer.

7Joe Thornton

Like his Sharks teammate Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton is a likely future Hall of Famer who'd prefer to remain in San Jose next season. Though he is coming off dual ACL and MCL knee surgery, Thornton still has high-end offensive skills and finished with 50 points last season at 37.

8Martin Hanzal

Martin Hanzal is a strong two-way centerman, who has won better than 55 percent of his faceoffs each of the last fours years. He is also coming off the first 20-goal season off his career, and is going to attract a lot of interest this summer.

9Andrei Markov

Even at 38, Andrei Markov remained a top-pair defenseman for the Canadiens last season. His ice-time dropped each of the last four years —down to 21:50 in 2016-17 — but he recorded 36 points in 62 games and remained a solid performer at both ends of the rink.

10Nick Bonino

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Nick Bonino is a solid two-way center who can play in a Top Six role on some teams and comfortably on the third line with contenders that feature deep rosters. He scored 18 goals and 37 points for the Penguins last season, though he needs to pick up his faceoff percentage, which has been north of 50 percent only once in his career.

11Thomas Vanek

Thomas Vanek scored 20 or more goals 10 times in his career, though the 33-year-old had a career-low 17 last season with the Red Wings and Panthers. Have to figure someone will pony up for a guy who has 697 points over 885 career games, however.

12Brendan Smith

In a thin pool of free agent defensemen, Brendan Smith is an intriguing versatile option, one who can play left side or right, and comfortably on the second or third pair. He plays with grit and smarts, and impressed down the stretch of last season and in the first round of the playoffs for the Rangers.

13Brian Boyle

Contending teams need players like Brian Boyle, a solid bottom-six center who wins draws, has big-game experience, is a tremendous teammate and a well-respected vocal leader. Three of his former teams — the Maple Leafs, Lightning and Rangers — might just bid to bring him back.

14Steve Mason

It is a very thin free-agent market for goalies. Steve Mason has been a starter with the Flyers and Blue Jackets, appearing in 50 or more games in each of the last four seasons and seven times total in his career, but his inconsistent play is a red flag. There are only one or two teams stil seeking a No. 1, so Mason may wind up serving in a short-term back-up role or in a 1A situation.

15Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr is another aging future Hall of Famer on this list, one who played in all 82 games last season at 45. The NHL's second-leading scorer all time, Jagr had 16 goals and 46 points for the Panthers in 2016-17 and can still help a contending team.

16Jordan Weal

A little leap of faith here with the diminuitive 25-year-old Jordan Weal, who came up to the Flyers a year ago and popped in eight goals and 12 points in 23 games. How much will a team bet that Weal has found his NHL groove and is a late-bloomer worthy of an opportunity?

17Kris Versteeg

A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Kris Versteeg is still a solid mid-level contributor up front, coming off a 15-goal campaign with the Flames. He's only 31, though he bounced around with five teams the past five years.

18Radim Vrbata

Another older player on this list, Radim Vrbata is 36, but did score 20 goals and 55 points last season with the Coyotes. He has appeared in over 1,000 NHL games and notched 609 points. Think short-term deal here.

19Patrick Sharp

Can Patrick Sharp regain his health and scoring touch at 35? That is the question league GMs are asking right now. He had just eight goals in 48 games last season, but is a three-time Stanley Cup winner, a well-known big-game player and did score 20 goals with the Stars two years ago.

20Dmitry Kulikov

Back woes limited Dmitry Kulikov's playing time and effectiveness last year with the Sabres. That is a troubling sign for the 26-year-old former first-round pick. Yet someone is going to take a chance on Kulikov because of his age and previous years of decent play.

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